The pre-season is done, and outside of JF Jacques and Mike Comrie there haven’t been any major surprises. The most pressing question still hasn’t been answered: Will the Oilers send a proven vet to the minors?

Last night’s re-assignment of Rob Schremp, Taylor Chorney, Kip Brennan, Devan Dubnyk and Jordan Eberle wasn’t a surprise to anyone who has been watching. The Oilers have the day off today, before they start working on their PP, PK and deciding who will be on the opening-day 23-man roster.

The final cuts have to be made by 1:00pm MST on Wednesday, and the Oilers could easily take every last second to decide who stays and who goes. We’ve debated for weeks who should be here, and shockingly, up until last night some actually thought Jacques shouldn’t be in the top 12.

Well, he’ll be in the top three come Saturday.

Jacques will start the season with Ales Hemsky and Shawn Horcoff, while Dustin Penner, Comrie and Patrick O’Sullivan will be the 2nd line. The defence has been set since the start of camp, and the only minor surprise is that Lubomir Visnovsky and Sheldon Souray won’t be paired up together. It looks like the pairings will be 44/24, 77/37 and 71/5 with Jason Strudwick the extra guy.

Andrew Cogliano will start on the wing with Sam Gagner, but who skates with them will be decided this week. Ethan Moreau is the leading candidate, and he practiced yesterday so his health isn’t a question mark. Ryan Stone, Fernando Pisani and Robert Nilsson are the other options, and Pat Quinn’s comments about Stone last night lead you to believe that Stone will be one of the 14 forwards come Saturday.

Gilbert Brule and Zack Stortini will be on the 4th line, while their left winger will be Pisani, Nilsson or Stone.

I still don’t see Stone as a long-term solution in Edmonton, but I give him credit for working his way into the conversation. I think Reddox will be re-assigned for sure, and while Quinn hinted last week that Marc Pouliot and Pisani might get the “veteran-benefit-of-the-doubt” stay of execution, he can’t keep to that if Stone makes this team. The numbers just don’t add up then.

That leaves Steve MacIntyre, Liam Reddox, Nilsson, Pisani, and Pouliot to battle for the final two spots. Steve Tambellini will be working the phones in the next 48 hours to try to get something for one, or possibly two of these four players. If he finds a taker, he’ll jump at it. The Oilers love Reddox’s versatility and his compete level, and while he is a long shot, if they can get a deal for Pouliot, Nilsson or Pisani they’d keep Reddox. Some in the organization think he is a cheaper version of Pisani.

What did we learn?

I can’t get a clear read on what the Oilers will do with their final two cuts, so let’s turn our focus to some things that have been overlooked.

Comrie had 10 points, in five games. Pre-season points mean nothing now, but it showed his offensive instincts are still there. Many wondered why the Oilers needed another small forward, but so far Comrie has shown he is much different than Gagner, Cogliano, and Nilsson. He can produce, which is the most important factor. Comrie and O’Sullivan had instant chemistry and if they can get off to a decent start that should take some pressure of the first line.

After only scoring five goals last year, Tom Gilbert vowed he’d shoot the puck more and he did scoring three times in five games. Tom Renney wants his defence to be more aggressive in the defensive zone and he has been pushing Gilbert to jump into the rush a bit more. Two of his goals came when he was the late guy into the offensive zone, and he skates well enough that he should do that more often.

Jacques was given an opportunity and so far he has taken advantage of it. Tambellini said he wanted this team to get bigger, and they did by promoting Jacques. If he continues to play tough, and shows the soft hands (pass to Horcoff last night) he’ll become a fan favourite very quickly.

Anyone who thought Hemsky wasn’t about the system should have watched last night. I sat in the crowd, row nine, and saw up close how sick this guy is. His vision, foot and hand speed is incredible. He didn’t get an assist on Jacques’ goal, but he started the play with a great pass back to Souray. He was dangerous all night, and he might be a better skater than Cogliano. This system demands more skating, so Hemsky should flourish.

I like Penner better with 91 and 19. They play a bit more a cycling game than 10 and 83 and that plays more into Penner’s game. Plus Jacques skates better and is more aggressive, so he’ll protect Hemsky more.

They still haven’t improved in the dot, so that will be a work in progress, but moving Cogliano to the wing automatically makes them better in the draw.

What needs to improve

Their special teams.

Last year the Oilers were competitive five-on-five. They scored 152 goals five-on-five and gave up 150, but they lost the battle on special teams.

They gave up 76 PP goals, and scored 60. The Oilers had the 11th most PP opportunities last year with 354 chances. They finished 22nd on the PP at 17%.

On the PK they were way worse. They were shorthanded the 16th most, 338 times, but only four teams gave up more PP goals than the Oilers’ 76 and they were a woeful 77.5%.

If they improve their special teams by a combined 6% and get to a 100 between the PP and PK then they should be in the playoffs.

Practice on both units will intensify this week, and it will go a long way in deciding if the Oilers end their three-year drought of not getting an invite to the post-season dance.

One of Canada's most versatile sports personalities. Jason hosts The Jason Gregor Show, weekdays from 2 to 6 p.m., on TSN 1260, and he writes a column every Monday in the Edmonton Journal. You can follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/JasonGregor

I think if JFJ can play like he did with Hemsky and Horcs in the preseason in the reg. season that will make the oilers top 2 lines alot bigger and alot more dangerous. Having him crash and bang and grit it up (unlike Penner)will create alot more turn overs for Hemsky and Horcs. If JFJ can play a full season with te top line i could see him getting 15 goals and 40 points. Just a prediction. Also having some pressure off Penner and a new coach might make him turn back into Anahiem form when he had no pressure or anything on him, plus POS and Comrie are dynamite together so far.
I think the bottom 2 lines should be
Cogs gagner Nilson
Moreau Brule Stortini

trade pisani for something and get rid of his contract.
also have stone the next in line for a call up.

@ ScubaSteve:
@ venue:
Reddox has better wheels and way more tenacity than Pouliot. Pouliot has the size advantage, but doesn't use it. The problem Reddox faces is that he's the only forward with a 2-way contract without waiver implications. Pouliot wins. At this point, both are poor-mans Pisani.

If you look at the skill set on both forward and defence. Should this team not be good 4 on 4 with all the open ice? Seems as though there are a few good pairings that could really do good with the open ice to work with.

One of the more dynamic players you will ever see is on waivers. Robbie Schremp is available for any who would like to grab him. While some say there is interest, one GM told me today when I asked him if he might have interest he responded. "None. Zero. He will sail on through."
Yet it is hard to believe with teams out there like Nashville, Atlanta, and the Isles, that someone wouldn't take a shot.

I'd say line 3 should be Cogliano-Gagner-Pisani. Monkeying around on hockeyanalysis.com looking at average GF/20-GA/20 with Cogs/Gags shows Moreau is the worst option out of Pisani (+.541), Nilsson(-.06), Moreau(-.081). Obviously no stats on Stone but we all know Pisani is the better player.

I’d say line 3 should be Cogliano-Gagner-Pisani. Monkeying around on hockeyanalysis.com looking at average GF/20-GA/20 with Cogs/Gags shows Moreau is the worst option out of Pisani (+.541), Nilsson(-.06), Moreau(-.081). Obviously no stats on Stone but we all know Pisani is the better player.

I think Pie makes alot of sense with those two. Give them soft minutes and they should be very productive in the goals for/against catagory.

I don't know about that, someone will go and it will be a vet. We have traded away every captain we've had can anyone say Moreau, I think with Quinn saying Stone is here Pies or Moreau are on the block.

1) get rid of a contract that burdens our cap
2) it allows Quinn to choose his own Captain without being "the bad guy" for stripping the C
3) it allows a younger, cheaper version of Moreau the opportunity to play

SkinnyD wrote:
Pisani isn’t going anywhere…
I don’t know about that, someone will go and it will be a vet. We have traded away every captain we’ve had can anyone say Moreau, I think with Quinn saying Stone is here Pies or Moreau are on the block.

Meh, that was just a sad attempt at a Daryl Katz text.

But really - I don't see Moreau or Pisani being shipped out - or Staios for that matter. If the Comrie signing is any indication, Katz has a mandate to give the impression that we treat players well here. Similar to Draper in Detroit - he'll retire eventually, on his own terms, as a Red Wing. I'd be surprised if Moreau, Pisani or Staios weren't allowed to do the same.

@ Ogden Brother:
so a guy who has decent speed, throws the occassional body check, can PK, average defensively...

i think that sounds like a Red Ox to me. Not saying reddox is at moreau's level as we speak this season, but in a limited role, like moreau will play, reddox can fill that void.. or maybe a stone? i'm not 100% on stone myself

@ Ogden Brother:
so a guy who has decent speed, throws the occassional body check, can PK, average defensively…
i think that sounds like a Red Ox to me. Not saying reddox is at moreau’s level as we speak this season, but in a limited role, like moreau will play, reddox can fill that void.. or maybe a stone? i’m not 100% on stone myself

Reddox has no where near the size/physical play/tenacity that Moreau has. You'd be purposely downgradig the roster (of a bubble team that desperately needs to make the playoffs) to save a few dollars.

swany wrote:
SkinnyD wrote:
Pisani isn’t going anywhere…
I don’t know about that, someone will go and it will be a vet. We have traded away every captain we’ve had can anyone say Moreau, I think with Quinn saying Stone is here Pies or Moreau are on the block.
Meh, that was just a sad attempt at a Daryl Katz text.
But really – I don’t see Moreau or Pisani being shipped out – or Staios for that matter. If the Comrie signing is any indication, Katz has a mandate to give the impression that we treat players well here. Similar to Draper in Detroit – he’ll retire eventually, on his own terms, as a Red Wing. I’d be surprised if Moreau, Pisani or Staios weren’t allowed to do the same.

It' been noted that Nashville has asked about Pies and Nilsson (the team 1260) with Quinn likeing Stone so much it could be there is a deal comming, While I agree with you on treating players well here, but time catches everyone and we are seeing youth pass them by. This organization has traded alot of players that we thought would never move after all it's still a buisness. I have to think as you do it will be Nilsson to get traded or sent when Pies is ready to play. Can Pies get 20 goals playing with Cogs and Gagner?

I don't want to sound cold hearted but with all the injuries Pies has had of late maybe he should retire. Colitis, broken leg now a bad back, who knows how much he can even play this year, and I love the way he plays, hopefully he can stay healthy and be productive on the 3rd line with Cogs and Gags

Gregor, would a guy like Jarred Smithson(NAS) help the Oilers PK? In him I see a 6'3 200+ pound C/RW that has a right handed shot and was Nashville's go to guy in defensive zone and short handed face offs last year.

swany wrote:
Can Pies get 20 goals playing with Cogs and Gagner?
I think so, but not with third line minutes. That is a pretty big demand for anyone on the third line.

I don't think you can rweally call Cogs, Gagner, Pies a 3rd line they will get the soft min and I think they can really produce (if pies can stay healthy). They should all get around 12-14 min a night with the 4th line of Moreau, Brule, Storts all around 10 min. The rest give to your top 2 lines. The way Quinn is rounding out the lineup you can see he wants to spread out the scoring so Horc and Hemmer don't play 18-20 min a night more like 16-18 min a night that will save them for the end run and the Playoffs (knocks wood repeatedly)

If Visnovsky and Smid are paired together come Oct.3, I will be ABSOLUTELY ECSTATIC.

Smid is ready to take that next step and quite frankly, as good as Gilbert and Grebeshkov are, Edmonton should be looking to move one or the other at some point during the season for either picks or some grit/scoring up front.

I'm very high on Ladi, he is the EXACT type of guy this Edmonton Oiler roster needs, another piece of the puzzle if you will, would bring much stability/balance to the back end. Intensity, compete, grit and size also combined with silky smooth puck handling ability and excellent skating.

Smid is a potential stud and playing with Visnovsky would be absolutely huge for his developement, these 2 are like ying & yang for each other.

Souray and Staios pairing looks like it has horrible potential, Stevey Stay-At-Home needs to be bannished immediately, as good a character guy as he is.

@ Gregor:
I totally agree with you about Hemsky’s skating. In an interview last year, Steve Serdachny said that Hemsky was the Oilers “best” skater. Glad to see him finally turn on the jets a bit.

I think/hope the systems that Quinn is trying to get his players to buy into will result in better organized defensive zone coverage and break outs from D-zone. This will allow Hemsky et al. to use their speed more in transition throught the neutral zone and put the D back on their heels. When Hemsky is skating at top speed, he is much more dangerous than those dipsy doodles at at offensive blue line. What I like too is Jacques will be able to keep up with him and do some crashing and banging. (all theoretical of course, need to see it on the ice)